President Obama called on Americans to respond to the recent terror attacks in Belgium and Pakistan with love rather than suspicion Wednesday at his last Easter prayer breakfast.

"These attacks can foment fear and division. They can tempt us to cast out the stranger, strike out against those who don’t look like us or pray exactly as we do," Obama told the small crowd of worshipers at the White House. "And they can lead us to turn our backs on those who are most in need of help and refuge. That’s the intent of the terrorists — it's to weaken our faith, to weaken our best impulses, our better angels."

In the aftermath of the terror attacks in Belgium, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) called for stepped up surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods. Following last year's Paris attacks, Republican front-runner Donald J. Trump proposed a temporary ban on all Muslim immigrants to the United States.

Obama in his Easter address cited the example of Pope Francis, who celebrated Easter by washing the feet of refugees. "What a powerful reminder of our obligations, if in fact we are not afraid," Obama said.

"If Easter means anything it is that you don’t have to be afraid," Obama continued. "We drown out darkness with light. We heal hatred with love. We hold on to hope."